FIG. 17 shows an example of traditional lever connectors.
This lever connector 100 which is disclosed in a PTL1 below includes a first connector housing 110, a second connector housing 120 which is fitted and connected with the first connector housing 110, and a fitting lever 130 which is pivotably installed to the first connector housing 110.
The second connector housing 120 has an outer sheath wall part (hood part) 121 into which the first connector housing 110 is inserted.
The fitting lever 130 is a member by which an operating force to fit/detach the first connector housing 110 into/from the second connector housing 120 can be reduced, and is pivotably installed to shafts 111 which are protruded from the outside surfaces of the first connector housing 110.
As shown in the figure, the fitting lever 130 includes a pair of lever bodies 131 which are arranged to be opposite to each other so that a pair of outer side surfaces of the first connector housing 110 are sandwiched, a coupling member 132 that connects the pair of lever bodies 131 at one end side, pivoting fulcrum holes 133 which are formed in the lever bodies 131 and are pivotably engaged with the shafts 111 on the outer side surfaces of the first connector housing 110, and action point protruding parts 134 which are engaged with lever retaining holes 122, which are formed at the outer side surfaces of the outer sheath wall part 121, when a fitting operation begins after the first connector housing 110 and the second connector housing 120 are aligned to a fitting start position.
In the illustrated example, the coupling member 132 also serves as a force point part which receives the operating force when the lever bodies 131 are pivoted around the shafts 111.
For the lever connector 100 of the PTL1, the first connector housing 110 is fitted and connected with the second connector housing 120 with the following steps.
First, as shown in the figure, the fitting lever 130 is pivotably attached to the first connector housing 110. Then, as shown by an arrow X1 in FIG. 17, the distal end of the first connector housing 110 is inserted into the outer sheath wall part 121 of the second connector housing 120, the first connector housing 110 and the second connector housing 120 are aligned to the fitting start position, and the action point protruding parts 134 of the fitting lever 130 are engaged with the lever retaining holes 122 of the second connector housing 120.
Then, the coupling member 132 of the fitting lever 130 is pressed down, and as shown by the arrow R1 in FIG. 17, the fitting lever 130 is pivoted. The second connector housing 120 is drawn toward the first connector housing 110 with the pivoting movement of the fitting-operation lever 130, and the connector housings have been fitted with each other.
When the connector housings fitted with each other are to be detached, the coupling member 132 is pivoted in a direction opposite to the direction shown by the arrow R1 in FIG. 17 so that the connector housings are detached from each other.